Ore-concentrator.



l. H. BHITTAIN.

ORE CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION man Ams. 191s.

Mmmm Apr. 24,1917.

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@www1/woz @Zvw Wbb/awo Patented ApII". 24, 1917.

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@2XL/Emma@ @Hom/ms I. H. BRITTAIN.

ORE CQNCENTRATOR.

' Y APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. |916. Lm mente@ Ap?. 24,1917.

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N QN www @www W of taken on the JAMES H. IBMTTAIN, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTH.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24,'19i7.

Application led April 6, 1916. Serial No. 89,493.

vTo aZZ 'whom z may concern.'

'Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Concentrators; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.v

My invention relates to improvements in ore concentrators and more particularly to those which include receptacles to which the ore in suspension is fed and highly agitated and aerated in the presence of appropriate froth-forming liquids, the ore laden froth being allowed to overflow into one or more launders.

The object of the invention is to improve upon the general constructionof concentrators of the class set forth to such an extent as to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive machine which will produce a maximum amount of work with minimum ower.

" With the foregoing general object in view,

the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in unique combinationsv of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part4 of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved concentrator;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereplane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal section as seen on the plane indicated by the line4-4 of Fig. 2.

In specifically describing the construction shown in the drawings above briefly described, similar characters will be employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and reference will be herein made to the numerous elements by their respective indices. To this end, the numerals 1 designate a plurality of receptacles disposed side by side, all of said receptacles being preferably built in one unit provided with upright sides 2 and partitions 3 extending therebetween and above the upper edges thereof. Near its lower end, each receptacle 1 is provided with one or more inlet openlngs 4, two of suchbpenings being here shown for each receptacle 'disposed in the sides2. Each receptacle l is also provided with a pair of waste outlet openings 5 also formed in the sides 2 and controlled by appropriate gates o-r rvalves 6.

Leading to the inlet 4 of one of the endmost receptacles 1, is a conduit 7 adapted to conduct ore in suspension thereto, while leading from the outlets 5 of the numerous receptacles to the inlets 4 of adjacent receptacles, are additional conduits 8 disposed on the exterior of said receptacles. rlhe outlet 5 of the receptacle at the end of the machine opposite the supply conduit 7 is provided with a final discharge trough or the like 9.

Extending transversely across the lower into launders 14. The waste, however, will be discharged through the outlets 5 of the numerous receptacles and will be fed through the conduits Sinto the adjoining receptacles in which it will be retreated. The ore in suspension is drawn into the machine by the impeller 12 in the compartment 1 into which the conduit 7 discharges, and in order that this ore may be sufficiently aerated, said impeller is underloaded, thereby causing it to draw into its receptacle a suiiicient quantity of air to produce the desired results. By operating the machine in this manner, the usual aerating pump may be omitted. It is also of importance that the conduits 8 be oversize in order that free air circulation may take place therein, and that the upper ends of these conduits be opened to still further facilitate Vsuch circulation (see Fig. 3).

The launders 14 are spaced laterally from the sides ofthe machine beyond the conduits 8, the inner sides of said launders being preferably secured in contact with the outer sides of said conduits asshown. 'I o properly conduct the froth into the launders without. allowing such f roth to enter the conduits 8, eave boards 15 'incline downwardly from the upper edges of the sides 2 to the inner sides of the launders; and in order that the froth may be directed properly onto these boards, deiecting plates 16 incline upwardly and outwardly from the longitudinal centers of the receptacles 1 to points spaced above the u per edges of said boards. Below the boar s 15, pipes 17 extend longitudinally above the conduits 8 for the injection of suitable chemicals therein while separating the ore.

The launders 14 are provided with longitudinally extending vertical partitions 18 of less height than their sides, whereby said launders are each divided into an outer chamber 19 and inner chamber 20. The ore laden froth may be directed into either the in er or outer chambers by proper dispositio of cover plates 21 which when disposed as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 will direct such froth into the outermost chambers 19, since said plates are disposed over the tops of the chambers 20 and incline downwardly from the boards 15 to the upper edges of the partitions 18. When, however, the plates 21 are moved to the dotted line positions indicated in Fig. 3, they will prevent the entrance of froth into the chambers 19 and direct the same'into the chambers 20.'

For holding the plates 21 in either position,

' they are provided with stop shoulders 22 on their lower sides which abut the partitions 18, said shoulders being preferably in the form of angle iron bars extending througho'ut the lengths of said plates. If it is found that retreatment of the ore will be necessary, the froth may be directed into the innermost chambers 20, from which' it may be conductedinto the conduits 7 and 8 through passages 23 and 24 respectively, n

the former being, in the form of ports extending through the inner walls of the launders 14 and the outer walls of the conduits 8, while the passages 24 are preferably in the form of closed chutes extending from the lower end of the inclined bottom of the launders. All of the passages in question are equipped with valves or gates 25 whereby they may be opened and closed at will to conduct the previously separated material into any compartment 1 desired.

In operation, the ore in suspension together with a suiiicient quantity of air is drawn into the first compartment 1, this ore being either now or previously treated with the proper froth-forming materials. As it 'is discharged from the outlet 11 of the inlet tation' causes the froth to form on the solution, which froth carries with it the concentrates and overflows into the launders 14. The waste', however, will be discharged from the outlets 5 of the first compartment 1 and will thus be fed into the inlet conduit of the second compartment. In this compartment the same action above described takes place, this operation being performed lsuccessively until the end of the machine is reachedand the final waste is discharged through the chute 9. As occabe highly efficient and durable in spite of the fact that it is extremely simple and inexpensive, these being salient characteristics in any machine of this class.

In conclusion, I will state that although certain specific details have been shown and described for illustrative purposes, changes may be made lwithin the scope of the invention as claimed without sacrificing the main advantages thereof. v

I claim 1. An ore concentrator of the class described including a pair of receptacles each having an vinlet into its lower end and a waste outlet from its upper end, a conduit for supplying ore in suspension to the inlet I of one receptacle, agitators in the lower ends of both receptacles, a second conduit leadingfrom the waste outlet of said one receptacle to the inlet of the other, said second conduit having an open upper end to allow free circulation of air, a launder spaced laterally from the receptacles beyond said second conduit, and an eave board extending from one edge of the receptacles over the open end'of said second conduit to the launder.'

2. An ore concentrator of the class described comprising an agitating receptacle,

said receptacle being provided with a sidewall over which -ore laden froth may. overflow, 4a launder to receive such froth, said launder having a vertical partition dividing it into two chambers, means for closing the upper endof either chamber to direct the froth into the other and return means connecting one chamber of the launder with the agitating receptacle;

3. An ore concentrator 'of the class described comprising an agitating receptacle, said receptacle being provided with a side wall over which ore laden froth may overiow, a launder to receive such froth, said launder having 'a vertical partition dividing it into two chambers, a shiftable inclined cover plate for closing the upper end of either chamber to direct the froth into theother and1 return means connecting one chamber of the launder with the agitating receptacle.

4. An ore concentrator ofthe class described comprising an agitating receptacle, said receptacle being provided with a side wall over which ore laden froth may overow, a launder to receive such froth, said launder havinga vertical partition lying parallel to the aforesaid side of the receptacles and dividing said launder into two chambers, said partition being of less height than the sides of the launder, an inclined cover plate having near its lower edge a stop shoulder, said plate being adapted to l5 incline upwardly from the upperedge of the partition to either side of the launder, the stop shoulder serving to abut saidY partition to hold the plate in either position and return means connecting one vchamber of the 2O launder with the agitating receptacle.

5. An ore concentrator ofthe class described comprising a pair of receptacles each having into its lower end an inlet and near its upper end an outlet, a conduit for supplying ore in suspension to the inlet of one receptacle, agitato-rs in both receptacles, a second conduit leading from the outlet 0f said one receptacle to the inlet of the other, one side of both receptacles being comparatively low, a launder adjacent this side of the receptacles in which ore laden froth overflowing therefrom may collect, said launder having a partition dividing it into an inner and an outer chamber, a valved passage leading from one of said chambers into the first named conduit, and means for directing the froth into either of said chambers. c

6. An ore concentrator of the class described comprising a pair of receptacles each having into its lower end an inlet and near its upper end an outlet, a conduit for supplying ore in suspension to the inlet of one receptacle, agitators in both receptacles, a second conduit leading from the outlet of said one receptacle tothe inlet of the other, one side of both receptacles being comparatively low, a launder adjacent this side of the receptacles in which ore laden froth overflowing therefrom may collect, said launder having a partition dividing it into an inner and an outer chamber, a valved passage leading from one of said chambers into the rst named conduit, and a cover plate for closing the upper end of either launder chamber to direct the froth into the other.

7. An ore concentrator of the class described comprising a pair of receptacles each having an inlet into its lower end and an outlet near its upper end, a conduit for supplying ore in suspension to the inlet of one receptacle, agitators in said receptacles, a second conduit leading from the outlet of said one receptacle to the inlet of the other, both conduits being disposed `adjacent one side of the receptacles, the latter side being comparatively low, a launder adjacent this side of the receptacles in which ore laden froth overflowing therefrom may collect, said launder having a partition dividing it into an inner and anouter chamber, a valved port formed through the adjacent walls of one chamber and the first named conduit, and means' for directing the froth into either chamber.

8. ln an ore concentrator, the combination of an agitating compartment, a subdivided launder for receiving the froth from said launder, shiftable means for Adirecting the froth into either division of said laun- 8O der, and return means connecting one division of said launder with the agitating compartment.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnes'ses.

' 'JAMES H. BRl'llTAlN. Witnesses: y

JOHN C. LANE, .FREEMAN L. GROSS. 

